Candidates say audit agency politicized, use smear tactics<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Campaign team managers have accused the Supreme Audit Agency
\n(BPK) of launching a smear campaign against their respective
\npresidential candidates by alleging that they had failed to keep
\ntheir offices and ministries free from corruption when they were
\nCabinet ministers.<\/p>\n
The BPK in its audit report on the 2002 State Budget has
\nrevealed various irregularities in the Office of the Coordinating
\nMinister for Political and Security Affairs, and in the Ministry
\nof Transportation and Communications.<\/p>\n
Rahmat Witoelar, a Susilo campaign team manager, said the
\nreport was part of a systematic attempt to discredit Susilo and
\nprevent him from sweeping into the Presidential Palace.<\/p>\n
\"We should look at it proportionally ... The irregularities
\nreported by the BPK are not that large compared to other
\nirregularities, such as the Pertamina tanker sale. I think this
\nis more politically motivated,\" said Rahmat.<\/p>\n
Susilo was coordinating minister for political and security
\naffairs before he resigned in March to run for the presidency.<\/p>\n
\"Susilo is not an angel. In every state agency, there are
\nalways bad apples but this does not mean that Susilo is part of
\nthat crop. The occurrence of irregularities cannot be construed
\nas a failure on the part of Susilo to contain them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Susilo, with his running mate Jusuf Kalla, has been nominated
\nby the Democratic Party, which garnered around 7.5 percent of the
\nvote in the April 5 legislative election.<\/p>\n
Rahmat said the Susilo campaign team would not decide on what
\naction it would take until such time as it received the BPK
\nreport.<\/p>\n
The BPK's audit report on the realization of the 2002 State
\nBudget revealed various irregularities that cost more than Rp 26
\nbillion (about US$2.86 million) in the Office of the Coordinating
\nMinister for Political and Security Affairs.<\/p>\n
According to the report, most of the money, around Rp 24.3
\nbillion, was not properly accounted for as the office failed to
\nprovide details in its balance sheet for 2002 State Budget
\nexpenditure.<\/p>\n
Also highlighted by the BPK was the use of some Rp 1.58
\nbillion in funds for an overseas trip by several high-ranking
\nofficials from the office, none of which was accounted for,
\nincluding an allocation of Rp 226 million for three people who
\nwere not part of the travel party.<\/p>\n
The report also stated that vice presidential candidate Gen.
\n(ret) Agum Gumelar, the running mate of Hamzah Haz, appeared to
\nbe responsible for irregularities in the use of the Ministry of
\nTransportation and Communications' 2002 State Budget allocation.<\/p>\n
The BPK found irregularities in the use of over Rp 300 billion
\nin state funds in 2002, spent mostly on 12 infrastructure
\nprojects promoted by the ministry.<\/p>\n
The BPK also found that some Rp 161.13 billion in state assets
\nand some Rp 59.9 billion in state revenues from non-tax sources
\nwere not reported by the ministry.<\/p>\n
Azrul Azwar, a member of the Hamzah-Agum campaign team,
\nclaimed the report was part of a \"dirty tricks\" campaign launched
\nby Hamzah's opponents.<\/p>\n
\"This is part of a smear campaign against Hamzah and Agum.
\nBut, we will not take action regarding the report as this is all
\nabout politics,\" said Azrul.<\/p>\n
Hamzah and Agum are running in the presidential action under
\nthe United Development Party banner.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/candidates-say-audit-agency-politicized-use-smear-tactics-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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